Power adjusted road grader



y 21, 1931- w o. E. GRIGSBY 1,815,252

POWER ADJUSTED ROAD GRADER Filed May 20, 1926 v 4 Sheets-Sheet l July 21, 1931. O E GRIGSBY I 1,815,252

POWER ADJUSTED ROAD GRADER Filed May 20, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fizz/efi @zaenfrg'gs .Fuiy 21, 19311. 0. E. GRIGSBY 1,815,252

I POWER ADJUSTED ROAD GRADER Filed May 20, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3' fllllllllllllllll 3 Qwerzf 44 a M July 21, 1931. I O GRlGSBY 1,815,252

POWER ADJUSTED ROAD GRADER Fil ed May 20, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 X22092 UzuenZG-rgsy Patented July 21, 1931 I UNITED STATES'PATENT' OFFICE- OWEN E. GRIGSBY, OF PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO RYAN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS rowan ADJUSTED ROAD GBADER i L V C Application filed May 20, 1926. Serial No. 110,335.

My invention relates to road graders in' general and particularly to that type disclosed in copending application Serial No. (389316, filed January 30, 1924, now Patent No. 1,732,892, for road graders,-an object being to provide an improved grader of this character having selective power driven adjustments.

In the type of machine set forth in the application above mentioned, the main frame may be tilted or leveled, the .mold. board tilted, adjusted vertically, axially and transversely, the ground-engaging wheels adjust-v ed to the road, and the machine steered through the medium of selective,-hand-operated adjusting devices. These ,hand-oper ated adjusting devices are extremely objectionable in that they are laborious to operate and necessitate the expenditure of a maximum period of time.

Having these objections in mind, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a road grader wherein the various adjustments are effected by manually-selective power driven apparatus whereby the mold board may be tilted, adjusted vertlcally, transversely and axially, the ground-engaging wheels adjusted tothe road regardless of the transverse inclination of the latter, the main frame tilted 'or leveled, and the machine steered. a

A further object of the invention is to provide a road grader of this character having a common operating or adjustlng mechanism arranged as a, unit at a point on the machine where the various controls may be conveniently reached by the operator.

The invention also contemplates an improved road grader wherein power drive elements are operatively connected with the adjustable parts of the machine, together with a mechanism to selectively actuate anyone of the drive elements and thereby actuate the corresponding adjustable part.

On the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a road grader embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation of the grader,

.tive actuating means;

showing the motor-driven shaft and selec- Fig. 4 is a vertical sectionalview taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

' Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fi 6 is a fragmentary 'view of one of the c utch units. and actuating gears; I Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the drive elements used in conjunction with the invention along line 7-7 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, detail view, partly in section taken on line 8-8'of Fig. 3 and partly in elevation showin the pivot mounting at the rear end of the ame.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein corresponding characters of reference denote correspondm parts 'in' the several views, aframe is deslgnated at 3 and is supported at the rear; by vertical standards 4: attached to a horizontal channel bar 5, the latter and the frame 3 being braced by angularly disposed braces 6. A rear axle is esi to the bar 5 by a-pivot pin 8, and is provided with ground-engaging wheels 8; The forward end of the frame is supported by a wheeled steering axle 9.

Extending longitudinally of the frame 3 from a point adjacent the rear end thereof to a point intermediate its ends, and disposed at opposite sides of the frame, is a pair of shafts 10, whose forward ends are supported in bearings 11, while their rear ends are'received in bearings 12. A crank arm 13 Fig. 4 is fixed to the inner end of each of these shafts 10 and is pivotally connected to suspending links 14, the latter being pivotally connected to the rear end of a horizontally arranged, tiltable draw bar 15, to which a mold-board support or annulus 16 is attached. mold-board support or annulus is formed with an annular, horizontally disposed flange 17 at its lower edge, upon which a ring gear 18, and circle frame 18' or annular support, rests. Arranged below the annulus 16 is a moldboard 19 provided with upstanding arms or brackets 20, which are attached to and fixed to rotate with the ring gear 18.

ated at 7 and is pivotally attached The draw bar carries a swiveled, in-. ternally threaded collar 15 at its forward end, through which a vertical screw 15 extends, the screw being mounted on the front steering axle 9, as shown in Fig. 1. Rotatably supported beneath the draw bar and engaging the ring gear 18 is a drive pinion 17. A stub shaft 17 is fixed to the pinion l7 and carries a worm gear 17 at its upper end, the latter being engaged by a horizontally disposed worm 17*.

A pair of transversely aligned pulleys 21 is journaled between a pair of parallel bars 22 extending transversely across the frame 3. A chain 23 is engaged around the pulleys 21 andhas its ends attached to a carriage 24, the latter being slidable in trackways 25 arranged between the bars 522. This carriage 24 is provided with depending ears 26, between which one end of a relatively long link 27 is attached. 27 extends obliquely with respect to the horizontal and has its lower end pivotally attached to the rear end of the draw bar 15, as at 328. One of the pulleys 21 is provided with a worm gear 29, the latter being engaged by a worm shaft 30 arranged at one side of the frame 3 and extending transversely of the latter, and carries upon its outer end a drive gear 31.

Mounted upon a draft tongue 32, extend ing forwardly from the axle 9, is a worm wheel 33 carrying a pulley 34 upon its upper face. A worm shaft 35 is journaled adjacent the worm wheel 33 and engages the latter, as shown inFig. 2. A steering, a flexible element 36 passes around the pulley 34 andhas its ends attached to the steering axle 9 by means of eye bolts or other fastenings 37. V

A vertically extending toothed quadrant 38 is arranged at the center of the axle 7 and is attached to the latter as illustrated in Fig. 3. A b pends from the and receives one end of a worm shaft 40 ll'leslling with the toothed segment 38, and whose opposite end is journaled in a bearing 41. vertically arranged worm shaft 50 engages a worm gear 51 on the worm shaft 40, while its upper end carries a beveled gear 52 driven from the. power shaft. The rear wheels 8 are connected with the axle 7 by means of the stub axles which are in the form of bell-crank racket or hearing 39 de- ;.l evers and are operatively connected to- .gether through the medium of a transversely shiftable rack bar 43, the latter being engaged by an actuating pinion 44 fixed to a worm wheel 45 mounted slightly above the axle 7. The worm wheel 45 is engaged and driven by a vertically arrangedworm shaft 46 whose upper end is formed with a tubular extension 47 receiving a longtitudinally adjustable driven The link frame 3 above the axle 7 shaft 48, to the upper end of which a inion 49 is universally attached driven rom the power shaft.

In the co-pending patent application above set forth, the main frame, steering axle, rear wheels, supporting axle therefor and the mold board are adjusted by means of hand-operated wheels for transmitting power to the various gears or drive elements of these parts. The present invention eliminates these hand-operated devices, and, in lieu thereof, contemplates acommon driving mechanism and selectlve means for attaining any one of the main frame or mold-board adjustments above enumerated, adjusting the rear wheels to tilt them to the transverse inclination of a road and actuate the rear wheels, to dispose them in parallel relation, and steer the steering axle. This mechanism comprises an internal combustion engine 53 whose drive shaft is in the form of a worm 54.

A main power shaft is arranged above the frame 3 and supported in bearings thereon. Power is transmitted to the shaft 55a through the instrumentality of a worm wheel 57 fixed to one end of the shaft and engaged by the worm shaft 54.

Pairs of beveled gears 58 are loosely mounted upon the shaft 55, and each pair is spaced by the bearings 56. The inner faces of the beveled gears 58 are provided with clutch faces 59, (Fig. 6) and a double clutch 60 is arranged between each pair of these clutch faces and is keyed to the shaft A- horizontally arranged, actuating lever fil is operatively connected with each of the double clutches 60, and is pivoted intermediate the ends to a horizontal bar or support 62. (Fig. 2.) Also arranged upon the shaft 55 is a main clutch (53, with which an actuating lever 64 is connected, the latter being also pivotally attached to the bar 62. Thus, when it is desired to render the shaft 55 operative or inoperative, the clutch lever 64 will be actuated accordingly. A plurality of power takeoff shafts are designated at 65, 66, 67, 68, 69 and 70, each of which carries a drive pinion 71 at its inner end engaged by its corresponding beveled gears 58. The shafts 66 and are in the nature of worm shafts and mesh with worm gears 72 and 73, respectively. The worm gears 72 and 73 carry oppositely extending worm shafts 74 engaging worm gears 75 fixed to the inner ends of the shafts 10. The power take-off shaft 67 extends longitudinally of the frame and has operative connection with the worm shaft 17 by means of a universal shaft connection 76. The shaft (38 extends the entire length of the frame and is universally connected with a shaft journaled in an angularly-disposed bracket 81 attached to the upper face of the frame 3 above the ground-engaging wheels of the latter. A shaft 82 universally connects the shaft- 80 and the worm shaft 35. Similarly, the shaft 69 extends longitudinally of the frame 3 and is universally connected with an angularly-disposed shaft 7 7 which extends to the forward end of the frame 3 and carries a beveled gear 78 meshing with a beveled gear 79 fixed to the upper end of the screw 15 Assuming the shaft 55 to be rotating, the operation of my improved road grader is as follows:

When it is desired to adjust the position of the mold board axially to the right or left, the shaft67 is rotated from the shaft 55 by engaging the double clutch with the corresponding beveled gear 58. Power is thus transmitted to the worm shaft 17 to drive the pinion 17', the latter in turn rotating the ring gear 18. When the ring gear has reached the place where the mold board will be disposed at the desired point, the clutch will be moved to a neutral position. Assuming it is desired to adjust the mold board transversely of the frame 3, the worm wheel 29 is set in operation by rendering the shaft operative by means of the'corresponding carriage 24 to the right or left, as the case may be, to correspondingly shift the moldboard support 16. Various adjustments of the mold board may also be made by the shafts 10 which are driven to swing the arms 13 independently through a complete circle and correspondingly adjust the rear end of the draw bar and mold-board support. The mold-board may also be tilted or adjusted by raising or lowering the forward end of the draw bar by connecting the shaft 77 to rotate the screw 15 to raise or lower the collar 15 to which the draw bar is attached. v

It will be observed that the shafts 10 may 'be utilized to longitudinally tilt the moldboard to the right or left,'to raise or lower it, or to shift it transversely for road shoulder,'back slope or ditch operation.

-To tilt or level the main frame for various purposes, the hand lever is shifted to connect shaft 50 to thereby rotate worm 40 to move along on circular rack 38 and thereby bodily rotate the main frame 3 on its end pivots to the desired position.

To tilt the wheels 8 or adjust them vertically according to conditions, theshaft 48 is connected to rotate the worm gear 45 to the riglit or left, the-"latter causing the pinion to correspondingly move the rack 43 transversely of the axle 7 and adjust; the wheels.

\Vhen it is desired to shift theidraft tongue 32 the shaft 68 is connected to drive the worm .35, which in turn rotates. the

worm Wheel33 to rqtate thepulley 3% along clutch. This operation moves the same for tilting, axial, vertical and transverse adjustments, a common driven shaft, and selective means co-operating with the driven shaft for effecting any one of such adjiistments.

2. A mold-board mounting including a support, a tiltable, vertically and horizontal- 1y movable frame, a mold-board carried thereby and arranged for axial adjustment thereon, a power shaft, selective means cooperating between the power shaft, frame and mold-board, whereby to tilt the frame, adjust it vertically or-horizontally, or adjust the mold=board'axially.

3. In a road-grading machine, a transversely tiltable main frame having a rear axle and tiltable wheels therefor, a moldboard supported beneath the frame and arranged for various independent adjustments, a power driven shaft supported on the frame, and selective means on the shaft for tilting the main frame on the axle, tiltably adjusting the wheels, and effecting any of the adjustments of the mold board. I

4. In a road-grading machine, a wheeled frame, a draw bar beneath the frame and arranged for transverse, horizontal, vertical movements, a mold-board axially adjustable on the draw bar, a driven shaft on the frame, and manually-operative selective drive means between the driven shaft, draw bar. and mold-board arranged to be actuated to effect any one of such adjustments of the draw .bar and mold-board.

5. A road grader comprising a wheeled frame, a mold-board associated therewith and arranged for tilting, transverse, horizontal, vertical and axial adjustments, a driven shaft on the frame, and selective means operated by the shaft for effecting any one ofsuch adjustments of the moldboard.

a 6. A road grader including a wheeled frame, a tiltable, horizontally, verticallv and axially adjustable mold board arranged beneath the frame, and selective motor-actuated means for tilting the mold-board. adjusting it vertically, horizontally and axially, and including a rotating shaft, normally idle drive elements thereon, and means for selectively causing any one of said drive elements to rotate with the shaft.

' 7.. In a road grader, a wheeled frame,

. mechanism for tilting the frame, mechanism 0 axlal, vertlcal, and transverse ad ustments of said mold board, a continuously operated source of power carried by the frame, a continuously driven shaft connected to said source of power, and selective reversible means associated with said continuously driven shaft for interconnecting any one or group of said adjusting mechanisms and said continuously driven shaft.

8. In a road grader, a wheeled frame, mechanism fortilting the frame, mechanism for leaning the frame Wheels, a .mold board supported beneath the frame mechanism including said frame tilting and wheel leaning mechanism for effecting longitudinal and transverse tilting, axial, vertical, and transverse adjustments of said mold board, a continuously operated source of power carried by the frame, a continuous] driven shaft connected to said source of power, and selective reversible means associated with said continuously driven shaft for interconnecting any one or mechanisms and shaft.

.In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of April, 1926.

OWEN E. GRIGSBY.

group of said adjusting said continuously driven 

